Legal Affairs - Intern

Job Description

Work Location: Incheon, Republic of Korea

Expected duration: 2-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The internship is located in the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNCITRAL RCAP), Incheon, Republic of Korea, where the UNCITRAL RCAP is established as a unit within the International Trade Law Division (ITLD), Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations, Vienna (Austria). The Division functions as the substantive secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

It has been established for the primary goals of:

• Enhancing international trade and development in the Asia-Pacific region by promoting certainty in international commercial transactions through the dissemination of international trade norms and standards, in particular those elaborated by UNCITRAL;
• Providing bilateral and multilateral technical assistance to States with respect to the adoption and uniform interpretation of UNCITRAL texts through workshops and seminars;
• Engaging in coordination activities with international and regional organizations active in trade law reform projects in the region; and
• Functioning as a channel of communication between States in the region and UNCITRAL.

For more information on UNCITRAL, please visit https://uncitral.un.org.

For more information on UNCITRAL RCAP, please visit https://uncitral.un.org/en/TA/regionalcentre_asia_pacific

The internship is unpaid, full time and in person in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The intern will work under the direct supervision of professional staff of the Regional Centre. Applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Applicants must be willing and prepared to undertake the internship remotely for a part or the entirety of the internship.

Specific assignments during the internship include:

• Assisting officers of the UNCITRAL RCAP with preparing substantive documents in relation to the operation and activities of the Regional Centre, including in the organization of conferences;
• Contributing to the identification of legislative reform needs and technical assistance requirements in selected countries and/or sectors of the region;
• Assisting with the collection and analysis of case law on UNCITRAL texts, national legislation and legal developments, in the region;
• Assisting with the development and maintenance of the Centre’s web page as well as with the preparation of publicity materials;
• Assisting with the coordination functions of the Centre;
• Undertaking ad hoc legal and administrative assignments as requested.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
  • (a) be enrolled in, or have recently completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
  • (b) be enrolled in, or have recently completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
• Be computer literate in standard software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and internet research. Familiarity with Microsoft Teams and other virtual conferencing software, SharePoint, WordPress, HTML and electronic document management would be an advantage;
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. Promotes and advocates for the fundamental values, standards, and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for and protection of human rights;
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have recently completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one, attach proof to the application and explain below. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

It is required that you have an excellent command of English.

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

It is desirable that you have knowledge of standard office computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets and general research.

It is desirable that you can manage your time and priorities to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks, which are often time-sensitive.

It is desirable that you interact well with people of various social and cultural backgrounds in an occasionally stressful environment.

It is desirable that your field of study is closely related to the type of internship you are applying for.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the internship advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language, namely Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish, as well as of regional languages such as Japanese, Korean, or others, would be an advantage.

Additional Information

The internship is UNPAID and full-time.

Interns work five days per week (40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

It should be noted that applicants selected for this internship who are currently employed are strongly encouraged to take a leave of absence or discontinue employment during the period of the internship.

Whilst part-time internships are also possible, subject to the absence of potential conflicts of interest, given the work priorities of the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific and the tasks assigned to onboarded interns, priority will be given to those candidates who are able to undertake a full-time internship.

Candidates who receive an official offer of internship are obliged to report to UNCITRAL any current and/or future employment which coincides with the internship, including details on the employer, position, and nature of work. Failure to disclose such information or other relevant details in a timely manner may lead to retraction of any internship offer or immediate termination of the internship, depending on the circumstances.

A completed online application (Motivation Statement, Candidate Profile as well as proof of enrolment and/or graduation) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Motivation Statement must include:

• Degree Programme (What are you currently studying?);
• Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?);
• List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in;
• List your top three areas of interest;
• Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship;
• Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme in general and this assignment in particular.

In your online Candidate Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Do not forget to attach your proof of enrolment or graduation.

Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.

Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS.

Deadline : Jan 14, 2026